You can freeze basil in several ways. All of the following freezing methods have pros and cons and offer different shelf lives. Here are four ways to freeze basil: Freeze basil in …Oct 29, 2022 · Level out the top of cubes, and then pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to seal. This will really go a long way to help keep the basil tasting fresh for many, many months. Cover the tray, and then freeze it in a flat spot in your freezer until the cubes are solid. Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs. You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezing a bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add to winter roast chickens and potatoes! Pour extra-virgin …Enjoy the fresh taste of basil all year round by stocking your freezer with basil rolls! This is the best way to harvest and freeze basil in little batches.R...Instructions. Bring a pot of water to boil on the stovetop. Tear the basil leaves from the stem and blanch in boiling water for two seconds. Transfer the leaves immediately to an ice bath. Pat the leaves dry or spin dry in a salad spinner. The leaves have to be as dry as possible.Harvest from the top of the plant so your basil stays fuller, rather than harvesting lower leaves and creating a sparse bottom. If you're trimming stems, use a pair of scissors to detach your desired stems, working from the top down. Try to cut stems about 1/4 inch above a node. Remove flower buds as they form.Method 1: Freeze Fresh Basil into Ice Cubes with Oil. Freezing basil in oil is my favorite way too freeze basil. Basil is thinner, with more fragile leaves, so they're …Another way to freeze basil is to puree it and put it into an ice cube tray. Then cover the tray and freeze. Learn more about freezing vegetables in the NDSU ...Pour olive oil or water over the chopped basil until the ice cube trays are full, but not overflowing. The thick oil may take a moment to settle and soak in between the basil bits. Top off as needed. Transfer the basil-filled ice cube trays to the freezer, and freeze for several hours or overnight – until frozen solid.Dec 6, 2023 · Clean: First, give your basil a quick wash. You don’t want to freeze it with dirt or bugs. Dry: Once washed, give it a good dry. You’ll need to pat it dry with a kitchen towel to absorb any of the excess water. Remove Leaves: Pull the basil leaves from the stems as you want to freeze the leaves only. Spoon the prepared basil olive oil mixture into ice cube trays. Transfer to the freezer and allow the basil olive oil cubes to freeze completely. Once frozen, remove the basil olive oil cubes from the ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer ziplock bag. Label and store the basil cubes in the freezer for up to six months.Select “NOT FROZEN” for fresh basil. If you pre-froze your herb, select “FROZEN” and allow your unit to cool for 15-30 minutes, until it reaches a temperature of -8°F (-22 °C) or lower. When you get the alert, close the drain valve and load your trays. Close the freeze dryer door firmly and press “CONTINUE.”.To freeze fresh, uncooked butternut squash, you need to peel it, cut it into chunks, and cook it before placing it in the freezer. Boiling is the fastest way to cook the squash chu...Freezing Parsley and Basil with Oil: In this method, we use oil to freeze parsley and basil. Place the chopped or whole leaves in an ice cube tray and fill each cube with oil to cover the herbs. Place the chopped or whole leaves in an ice cube tray and fill each cube with oil to cover the herbs.Jul 26, 2021 · Add the salt and olive oil. Mix well. 1/2 tsp. salt, 2/3 c. olive oil. Spoon into an ice cube tray. This should make twelve cubes. Freeze until solid. Remove the ice cubes and place them in a ziplock freezer bag. Add one or two frozen cubes to the sauce when you are cooking spaghetti, lasagna, etc. Select “NOT FROZEN” for fresh basil. If you pre-froze your herb, select “FROZEN” and allow your unit to cool for 15-30 minutes, until it reaches a temperature of -8°F (-22 °C) or lower. When you get the alert, close the drain valve and load your trays. Close the freeze dryer door firmly and press “CONTINUE.”.If you ever buy chicken and freeze some to use later, here’s a simple trick that’s better than brining for turning out juicier meat: Salt the chicken before you freeze it. If you e...Jun 14, 2023 · Dry the basil very well. Wrap the basil in paper towels. Squeeze to wring out all the water and transfer to the food processor. Add 1-2 chopped cloves of garlic, ⅓ cup of toasted pine nuts (or walnuts), and the juice of ½ lemon. Step 1: Blanch (Optional) Blanching basil is optional. You can do this by placing the basil in a sieve and dipping it into a pot of boiling water for 10 seconds. Immediately plunge the basil in ice water to stop the cooking process. Basil is fragile, so make sure not to blanch it for longer than 10 seconds.Pick all the leaves from your basil. Place them in a food processor bowl. Process, scraping down as needed, until the basil is minced. Drizzle in olive oil with the machine running, just until a paste is produced. Scrape the paste into sturdy quart-sized zip-top freezer bags, and flatten into a sheet, about 1/3 inch thick.One of the easiest ways to preserve basil leaves is to freeze them into ice cube trays. You can use plastic or silicone trays. Pack the leaves into each cube and then slowly fill them …Converting Basil Amounts. Keep this conversion handy. When using fresh basil instead of dried in a recipe, use 1 and 1/2 more than what the recipe says. Likewise, cut dried basil by the same amount when substituting it for fresh, that is, 2/3 of what is called for. This post originally appeared in June 2016 and was revised and republished in ...Dec 6, 2023 · Clean: First, give your basil a quick wash. You don’t want to freeze it with dirt or bugs. Dry: Once washed, give it a good dry. You’ll need to pat it dry with a kitchen towel to absorb any of the excess water. Remove Leaves: Pull the basil leaves from the stems as you want to freeze the leaves only. Refrigeration and Freezing - Refrigeration and freezing are probably the most popular forms of food preservation in use today. Learn more about refrigerarion and freezing. Advertis...St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow has its own distinctive presence, but travel company RealRussia has reimagined it in seven different architectural styles. HowStuffWorks takes a loo...Instructions. Rinse your basil well and shake off excess water. Remove all the leaves from the stems. Place leaves in the blender. With the blender on high (or the purée setting), begin to very slowly drizzle olive oil into the blender (using the removable section of the blender lid to reduce splatter).Is your LG refrigerator freezer not freezing? This can be a frustrating problem to deal with, especially when you rely on your freezer to keep your food fresh and preserved. Anothe...Learn how to safely and effectively thaw frozen pipes and avoid them from freezing in the future. Our tips will help you prevent costly damage to your home. Expert Advice On Improv...So here’s how you go about preserving fresh basil…. You will need 4 things: Jar, basil, salt, olive oil. Clean your fresh basil in cold water, and let it air dry well. Find a clean glass container with a lid. Sprinkle a little salt (I used Kosher) on the bottom of the jar. Add a little basil. Add a little olive oil.Nov 15, 2023 · 📖 Recipe. 💬 Comments. 🍃 Freezing Basil as Pesto. Freezing basil in pesto is a great way to preserve the herb's fresh flavor and aroma for future use. It's a simple and convenient option that also helps you add a burst of freshness to dishes anytime you want. Step 3: remove leaves. While your water is heating up, snip, cut, or pinch off the basil leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Step 4: rinse. Give the basil a thorough rinse, being careful not to break it or tear it. Step 5: Place basil in strainer basket. Load the produce into the strainer basket.Instructions. Just wash the parsley leaves, and either spin them in a salad spinner and/or dry with paper towel. Next, chop the parsley to your liking. I use a knife or mezzaluna type chopper (I don't like mine chopped too finely). Once you've chopped all the parsley (I leave off the thick part of the stems), put it in a container or freezer ...Select “NOT FROZEN” for fresh basil. If you pre-froze your herb, select “FROZEN” and allow your unit to cool for 15-30 minutes, until it reaches a temperature of -8°F (-22 °C) or lower. When you get the alert, close the drain valve and load your trays. Close the freeze dryer door firmly and press “CONTINUE.”.Steps to Follow. Step 1. Line up a rope high up in a well-ventilated room, away from direct sunlight, as you would for drying clothes. Step 2. Using a rubber band or string, tie the herbs into small bundles. Only use 3-4 stems of basil for each bundle so they would dry faster and evenly and won’t get moldy. Step 3.Instructions. To toast pine nuts, place on a baking sheet in an even layer and bake at 350 for 6-7 minutes until browned. In a large food processor, pulse together basil, parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a layer of parchment paper inside a freezer bag. Place the basil leaves in the bag. Add layers of parchment paper as needed to separate the basil leaves. Remove excess air from the bag and store the bag flat to keep the basil from sticking together in the freezer. 6. Here are two methods for freezing basil: 1. Basil leaves: Blanch fresh basil leaves in boiling water for three to five seconds. After blanching, immediately shock the basil by placing it in a bowl of ice water. Dry the leaves, then place in a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn. Add the frozen basil to a soup or stew for flavor.Place in freezer . . . voila! When ready to use, simply break off/take out the amount you need and chop as needed. LOVE having fresh herbs all year!When it’s ready, take a pair of tongs or a ladle strainer and dip your basil into the boiling water for about three to five seconds. You want to avoid cooking the leaves completely. Immediately afterwards, dunk the leaves into your ice bath for a few seconds. Remove them and place the leaves onto your tea towel.To freeze Thai basil, start by picking fresh leaves from the plant. Wash them thoroughly under running water and dry them with a paper towel or kitchen cloth. Next, chop the leaves into small pieces or leave them whole, according to your preference. Spread these chopped or whole leaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single ...Oct 29, 2022 · Level out the top of cubes, and then pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to seal. This will really go a long way to help keep the basil tasting fresh for many, many months. Cover the tray, and then freeze it in a flat spot in your freezer until the cubes are solid. Add cheese, pine nuts, salt, and pepper; pulse until the consistency of a coarse paste. With the food processor running, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube and continue mixing until the oil is completely combined with paste. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week. Pesto freezes well.Mistake #6: You’re not freezing basil. Dried basil is an option for long-term storage, of course. But if you love the particular taste of fresh basil, you’re missing your chance for year-round summery flavor. To freeze fresh herbs, remove the whole leaves from the stem, blanch them in boiling water, then immediately dunk them in an ice bath ...Method 3: Freezing With Olive Oil. If you want to freeze a large batch of pesto all at once, this is the method for you. Place the pesto in a freezer bag, add some olive oil to the bag (about one tablespoon per cup of pesto), and then seal it. The layer of olive oil will prevent the pesto from freezer-burning and keep it fresh for up to 6 months.Fill each container with 1 inch of cold water and store parsley upright with the stems touching the water, says Chou. Loosely cover the leaves with an upside-down plastic bag, then tie a rubber band around the opening of the bag to secure. Alternatively, if your container is tall enough, gently fold down the leaves and add the lid.Tie the string tight, but allow the bunches themselves to be looser at the top so that the air can circulate through. 4. Hang the bunches to dry in a dark, clean area. You can use a basement, spare bedroom, or closet as a storage space. Hang your rosemary from a clothesline, laundry rack, or exposed rack.Spoon the prepared basil olive oil mixture into ice cube trays. Transfer to the freezer and allow the basil olive oil cubes to freeze completely. Once frozen, remove the basil olive oil cubes from the ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer ziplock bag. Label and store the basil cubes in the freezer for up to six months.Add cheese, pine nuts, salt, and pepper; pulse until the consistency of a coarse paste. With the food processor running, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube and continue mixing until the oil is completely combined with paste. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week. Pesto freezes well.Here's everything you need to know about putting a freeze on your credit, including how to do it, when to do it and how it impacts signing up for new cards. Editor’s note: This is ...One method for freezing fresh corn without blanching it is to simply freeze the ear whole. Another method for freezing unblanched corn is to freeze just the kernels. To freeze whol...Freeze for 8 hours. Pop the frozen olive oil/basil cubes out of the tray, and place them in a resealable freezer bag or freezer-safe container. The basil cubes will last in the freezer for up to 6 months. By freezing the basil in olive oil, it is so easy to grab a couple of cubes and saute with your favorite vegetables.Step 3: remove leaves. While your water is heating up, snip, cut, or pinch off the basil leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Step 4: rinse. Give the basil a thorough rinse, being careful not to break it or tear it. Step 5: Place basil in strainer basket. Load the produce into the strainer basket.Basil plants grow better when you’re constantly picking from them—so every few weeks, do a heavy harvest, freeze the bounty, and then repeat until your freezer is stocked with fresh-frozen herbs. Let me …Instructions. Bring a pot of water to boil on the stovetop. Tear the basil leaves from the stem and blanch in boiling water for two seconds. Transfer the leaves immediately to an ice bath. Pat the leaves dry or spin dry in a salad spinner. The leaves have to be as dry as possible.In this article, I will cover the best method to store fresh cut basil leaves, how to freeze fresh basil and what to avoid to reduce food waste and keep your fresh basil …Method 3: Freezing With Olive Oil. If you want to freeze a large batch of pesto all at once, this is the method for you. Place the pesto in a freezer bag, add some olive oil to the bag (about one tablespoon per cup of pesto), and then seal it. The layer of olive oil will prevent the pesto from freezer-burning and keep it fresh for up to 6 months.Chop the basil, then press into an ice cube tray. Fill each well with water. Freeze the ice cubes until solid, then pop out of the tray and seal inside a zip-top bag. When ready to use, place the frozen basil cubes in a bowl and let the ice melt. Drain the water from the bowl and proceed with the recipe as written.Remove from stems and store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks for best flavor. Chop larger leafed herbs before storing. Small leafed herbs like thyme, oregano, and rosemary will take about 4-7 days to dry out completely. While larger leaves, like basil and parsley, can take up to 2 weeks.Jul 8, 2023 · Step Four: Add olive oil while you chop the basil! I pulse the food processor with one hand and drizzle olive oil into the feed tube with the other hand, just pulsing until the basil is coarsely chopped. You should make sure that all the basil is coated with oil, which keeps it from going dark in the freezer. STEP 6: Add Water. Add water over the herbs to fill the wells. You can also freeze herbs in olive oil or butter. This adds an extra dose of flavor when you pop the frozen herb cubes into a dish.Converting Basil Amounts. Keep this conversion handy. When using fresh basil instead of dried in a recipe, use 1 and 1/2 more than what the recipe says. Likewise, cut dried basil by the same amount when substituting it for fresh, that is, 2/3 of what is called for. This post originally appeared in June 2016 and was revised and republished in ...Jul 21, 2023 · Converting Basil Amounts. Keep this conversion handy. When using fresh basil instead of dried in a recipe, use 1 and 1/2 more than what the recipe says. Likewise, cut dried basil by the same amount when substituting it for fresh, that is, 2/3 of what is called for. This post originally appeared in June 2016 and was revised and republished in ... Discover the best methods for freezing basil pesto with our easy guide. Enjoy your homemade pesto year-round, retaining its fresh flavors.Mar 11, 2024 · Olive oil. Ice cube tray. tb1234. Wash your fresh basil leaves under cold running water and dry them in a salad spinner to remove all excess water. Place the basil herbs in a food processor and chop them. With the processor running, slowly drizzle as much olive oil as you desire into the chopped basil. Fill them up with herbs around 75% of the way. Seal: Top the slots of the ice cube tray up with olive oil or water. This will protect the herbs, seal them and also make them easier to store in the longer term. Freeze: Wrap the tray in a layer of cling film if you want to protect it further before placing it in the freezer.For the best results, basil should be stored on the countertop at room temperature. You can wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel and keep it in a loose plastic bag. For basil with stems, put it in a glass jar like a flower bouquet with a few inches of water. Put a clear plastic bag on top and change the water every day.Instructions. Rinse basil and dry thoroughly. Its important that the basil is dry. Remove all the leaves from the stems and add to food processor. Chop basil for a few seconds in food processor. You may want to add the basil in increments, processing for a few seconds before adding more. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and blend.Method 1: Freeze Fresh Basil into Ice Cubes with Oil. Freezing basil in oil is my favorite way too freeze basil. Basil is thinner, with more fragile leaves, so they're …Set up a food processor with the blade attachment (or get your blender all plugged in and ready). Briefly blanch the basil. Drop 2 packed cups of basil leaves in the boiling water. Blanch just until the leaves wilt, 5 to 10 seconds. Use tongs to transfer the basil leaves to the prepared ice water.Sep 5, 2019 · Freeze it! There are several ways to do it effectively. For the greenest, freshest seeming basil: quickly blanch the basil in boiling salt water for 15 seconds, drain it, and dunk it into ice water to cool it quickly (this sets the green color), and then whirl it in a blender with just a bit of olive oil. You can pour the purée in ice cubes ... Pack basil paste, or basil leaves, in an ice cube tray. Cover the basil with oil, water, or broth. Even if made a paste, make sure there is a layer of liquid on top of the basil paste. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer until frozen. Pop the frozen basil ice cubes out of the tray and put them in a freezer bag.Press down lightly. Add water until the mixture is just covered. Place in the freezer until solid, then pop the cubes out of the tray and transfer to long-term storage bags or containers. Carefully cut sheets into quarters or other manageable sizes for storage. Label and date your storage containers.Sep 9, 2022 · Blanch: Remove the basil leaves from the stem and blanch them in boiling water for 2 seconds. Ice bath: Transfer the leaves to an ice bath. Dry & freeze: Dry completely and store in a freezer-safe container, separating the layers with wax or parchment paper. 2. Puree and freeze. Easy Freezing Fresh Basil Method. Unlike many methods of preserving foods, this one only requires 5-10 mins of your time plus a few hours for freezing. I personally love and use a stainless steel ice cube tray, it has a neat mechanism that helps to cut and pop out what I’m freezing. If you ever buy chicken and freeze some to use later, here’s a simple trick that’s better than brining for turning out juicier meat: Salt the chicken before you freeze it. If you e...Learn how to store fresh basil two ways: in water and in the fridge. Plus, learn step-by-step how to preserve basil by either freezing or drying.Method 1: Freezing Basil in Ice Cube Trays. Fill the Trays. Distribute the chopped basil evenly among the compartments of your ice cube trays.. Add Liquid. Either submerge the basil in water or drench it with olive oil.. Both methods work well, but oil can help retain the basil’s vibrant green color and add extra flavor.. FreezeLay the basil leaves on your freeze-drying trays. If you have an abundance, you can also, chop or pulse the leaves BEFORE adding them to the trays. This will allow you to freeze dry more at once. Either method is good. Push the start button to allow the chamber of the freeze dryer to cool down before adding the trays.Store in the refrigerator. Store basil by snipping off the bases of the stems and placing the bunch in a vase or a Mason jar with an inch or two of water at the bottom, just like a bouquet of flowers. Store at room temperature in a light area, but out of direct sunlight. Herb. Herb Type.Fresh basil in the stead of dried ones will add texture and more color to your recipe. Add ½ tbsp. Fresh basil, rather than the stipulated ½ tsp dried basil. Like all other salads, this is a fast and easy recipe to put together. It is arguably the freshest and tastiest summer dish one could think of.What is the best way to freeze fresh basil? It’s best to blanch your basil before freezing so that it will maintain its green color. To do this, cover basil leaves with …For the best results, basil should be stored on the countertop at room temperature. You can wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel and keep it in a loose plastic bag. For basil with stems, put it in a glass jar like a flower bouquet with a few inches of water. Put a clear plastic bag on top and change the water every day.Instructions. Wash basil and remove leaves from stems. Dry well. Use a salad spinner or gently pat dry with a towel. The more moisture on the leaves the more likely you’ll get brown spots. Sandwich basil in a single layer between two pieces of paper towel. Place in microwave for 30 seconds at medium to high power.Sep 16, 2020 ... Once again clean the leaves and let them dry completely as above. Then place them in a glass container (mason jar) and add salt 1-2 teaspoons, ...Have you ever experienced a frozen cursor on your computer? It can be frustrating and disruptive, especially when you’re in the middle of an important task. One of the primary reas...Step 1: Blanch (Optional) Blanching basil is optional. You can do this by placing the basil in a sieve and dipping it into a pot of boiling water for 10 seconds. Immediately plunge the basil in ice water to stop the cooking process. Basil is fragile, so make sure not to blanch it for longer than 10 seconds.Pack basil paste, or basil leaves, in an ice cube tray. Cover the basil with oil, water, or broth. Even if made a paste, make sure there is a layer of liquid on top of the basil paste. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer until frozen. Pop the frozen basil ice cubes out of the tray and put them in a freezer bag.1 day ago · Chop and Freeze. Use a food processor to coarsely chop washed basil leaves. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse to lightly coat the leaves with oil; this will keep the basil from turning black in the freezer. Scoop the resulting mixture into ice cube trays and freeze.
Place Fresh Basil in a Jar. Once you get home from the market or garden with a bunch of basil, snip the ends of the stems and place the bunch upright in a jar partially full of water. Treat it .... Metro wifi
Method 1: Freeze Fresh Basil into Ice Cubes with Oil. Freezing basil in oil is my favorite way too freeze basil. Basil is thinner, with more fragile leaves, so they're …Sep 18, 2015 ... Garden grown fresh basil is preserved for future use by chopping and freezing fresh basil in ice cube trays. This basil can then be added to ...Instructions. Pick garden fresh basil. Strip the leaves from the stem and place the leaves in a colander. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water. Dip the colander into the boiling water to wilt the leaves. This will take 2-4 seconds. Do not over blanch.Method 3: Freezing With Olive Oil. If you want to freeze a large batch of pesto all at once, this is the method for you. Place the pesto in a freezer bag, add some olive oil to the bag (about one tablespoon per cup of pesto), and then seal it. The layer of olive oil will prevent the pesto from freezer-burning and keep it fresh for up to 6 months.Wash, pat dry and chop the herbs. Discard any woody stems. Place one serving in each square of a clean ice cube tray. Cover the herbs with water and freeze the tray. Pop out the ice cubes and ...Here's How. Freezing dill is an easy kitchen activity: First, wash the dill in cold water and shake or pat dry. Then lay the sprigs out on a cookie sheet and pop them into the freezer to flash freeze them. When the dill sprigs are all frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and return it to the freezer.Instructions. Start by cutting fresh basil from your garden or grab that extra from the fridge. Wash the basil gently in cool water and spread on a kitchen towel to dry. (Or use a salad spinner if you’re in a hurry.) Preheat oven to its lowest setting. Our is 150 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Step 2: Next, place the chopped herbs in an ice cube tray; from my experience, silicone trays work best. Step 3: Fill each compartment with water, just enough to completely cover the herb mixture. Step 4: Press the herbs into the water so they are fully submerged. Step 5: Place the ice cube tray in the freezer and freeze for 3-4 hours.Remove the basil from the container by pouring the basil puree directly into your ice cube trays, and use a spoon or spatula to smooth and level the top. Put the ice cube trays into the freezer and leave until solid. Depending on your freezer, it should take between 12-24 hours.Oct 29, 2022 · Level out the top of cubes, and then pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to seal. This will really go a long way to help keep the basil tasting fresh for many, many months. Cover the tray, and then freeze it in a flat spot in your freezer until the cubes are solid. Freeze for up to six months. To dry, first rinse the basil and pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stems and spread them out on a baking sheet. Bake at 150 degrees for about four hours, until the leaves are crisp. Trim the leaves from the stem of the thai basil. Fill a jar or container with fresh water and place the thai basil leaves in it.Here's how you do it: Step 1: Take your cut basil out the packaging and trim the last inch or so off the stems. This will help the stems take in water. Step 2: Place the basil in a cup with a few inches of water and a plastic bag loosely covering it. …Method 3: Freezing With Olive Oil. If you want to freeze a large batch of pesto all at once, this is the method for you. Place the pesto in a freezer bag, add some olive oil to the bag (about one tablespoon per cup of pesto), and then seal it. The layer of olive oil will prevent the pesto from freezer-burning and keep it fresh for up to 6 months.Easy Freezing Fresh Basil Method. Unlike many methods of preserving foods, this one only requires 5-10 mins of your time plus a few hours for freezing. I personally love and use a stainless steel ice cube tray, it has a neat mechanism that …Place in freezer . . . voila! When ready to use, simply break off/take out the amount you need and chop as needed. LOVE having fresh herbs all year!Pick all the leaves from your basil. Place them in a food processor bowl. Process, scraping down as needed, until the basil is minced. Drizzle in olive oil with the machine running, just until a paste is produced. Scrape the paste into sturdy quart-sized zip-top freezer bags, and flatten into a sheet, about 1/3 inch thick.Remove the basil leaves from the ice bath and dry in a salad spinner (or on a paper towel, but this can take a while). Place dry basil leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for 24 hours. Remove leaves from sheet and transfer to a freezer bag. You can use disposable or a large silicone zip top bag.Instructions. Wash basil and remove leaves from stems. Dry well. Use a salad spinner or gently pat dry with a towel. The more moisture on the leaves the more likely you’ll get brown spots. Sandwich basil in a single layer between two pieces of paper towel. Place in microwave for 30 seconds at medium to high power.Blanch the plucked and rinsed leaves for 2 seconds. As the pot of water nears a boil, pluck the basil leaves from their stems and rinse them under cool water. When the pot finally comes to a boil, toss all the leaves in at once for just 2 seconds. Don't use basil leaves that are drooping or blackened. 3..